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Blasphemy, blame and blessing: Can we break the cycle of violence? What is blasphemy? Most widely understood as disrespect for God or that which is considered sacred, blasphemy is in the international news. In January, a new law went into effect in Ireland stating that any abusive utterance concerning sacred matters of any religion is punishable by a fine of...

Living within the world, yet apart from it: It's not an easy task. Politics, for instance, abounds with many examples of people who embarked on missions of change, only to become what they had originally crusaded against. But according to Judaism, such an outlook on life is necessary to both perfect the world and reach ever-higher spiritual heights. This week's...

When we read the double portion of Tazria-Metzora, it is easy to fixate on all the gory details of eruptive affections, white swellings and greenish streaks that the portions describe so meticulously. Our immediate reaction is "yuck." These yucky things throw us into a state of tamei, which is translated as "unclean" or "impure." We tend to think of purity...

At first glance, one would be hard pressed to uncover any thematic unity between the beginning and the end of Parshat Shemini. The initial narrative describes a tragedy. On the day Aaron and his sons were to be sanctified as the priests of Israel, Aaron's two elder sons, Nadav and Avihu, offered an unauthorized sacrifice and died approaching the altar...

During Passover, we are all young again. We gather around the seder table and delight at how our positions have changed. Those who eagerly -- or reluctantly -- asked the Four Questions now lead others in prayer and song. As we remember our rich journey from slavery to freedom, we look forward in hope. And we are all young again...